A circuit protection system is provided herein that minimizes the disconnection time of a circuit while protecting other electrical components. Some configurations comprise a set of parallel circuit interruption devices, each connected in series with respective fuses. A control device sets a state of the circuit interruption device based on a current of the circuit. Under certain current loads, the circuit is interrupted without causing a fuse to blow. Under other current loads, the circuit is interrupted by having one or more fuses blow.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the first fuse and the second fuse are electrically coupled in parallel to a battery.
4. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the first switch and the second switch are electrically coupled in parallel to a load.
5. The battery system of claim 4, wherein the load is an electric motor of an electric vehicle.
6. The battery system of claim 5, wherein a current rating of the first fuse and the second fuse is one half a maximum operating current of the electric vehicle.
9. The battery system of claim 8, wherein the third switch is electrically coupled to a charging port of an electric vehicle.
10. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the amperage is equal to the maximum disconnect current of the first switch and the second switch.
11. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the battery system is located within an electric vehicle.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining the first switch and the second switch in the closed state when detecting the load current below the amperage.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the amperage is a first amperage, the method further comprising setting the second switch to an open state in response to detecting the load current above a second amperage greater than the first amperage.
18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the amperage is equal to the maximum disconnect current of the first switch and the second switch, and wherein a current rating of the first fuse and the second fuse is one half a maximum operating current of the one or more electric motors.
19. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a third switch electrically coupled in parallel to the first fuse and the second fuse.
20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the third switch is electrically coupled to a charging port of the vehicle.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 30, 2022
June 13, 2023
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